THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 21, 1995 TAG: 9512200138
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER COURTLAND
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
MO IS better.
Tony Rice, one of the country's most respected bluegrass musicians, will tell you that.
``Mo Canada is an amazing musician - and too young to play as good as he does,'' Rice writes. ``His playing serves to confirm the notion that bluegrass guitar will continue to flourish. This album is well worth serious listening.''
The album, ``Stoney Lonesome,'' was recorded at Doobie Shea Studios in Ferrum, a major bluegrass recording studio.
All of its instrumentals were chosen by Mo, some arranged by Mo and Rice, some by Mo and Rickie Simpkins, who is a member of The Tony Rice Unit, as is his brother, Ronnie, who also appears on the album along with Rice.
``Stoney Lonesome,'' produced by Rickie Simpkins, is acquiring a national/international reputation.
Following radio play, in areas where bluegrass is more ``in'' than it is locally, orders have been sent to Washington and Texas.
Locally, it is getting play on WCMS. Canada's albums also are going to Canada and Japan.
Also on the album is Mo's banjo-playing dad, Ed, who, as one might imagine, was instrumental in getting his son started as an instrumentalist.
Pharmacist Ed Canada and his pharmacist wife, Glenna, live on River Road and own Parker Drug Co. in Franklin where, by no coincidence, copies of ``Stoney Lonesome'' are available.
Ed has always been active musically. He used to perform with two Richmond groups, Friendly Henry and Virginia Rail.
When his 15-year-old son, a Southampton Academy sophomore who also is into fishing and baseball, is not headlining an album of the top names in bluegrass, he leads the 20-month-old Mo Canada Band, whose other members are 30-plus.
The teenager will appear, solo, for a fund-raising dinner-concert at Southampton Academy Jan. 27, performing with the Lonesome River Band, one of Virginia's best-known grass outfits. Rickey Simpkins also is on the bill.
Mo began performing as a drumstick-on-pots-and-pans toddler.
``He always stood next to his daddy,'' said his mother/manager, Glenna. ``When he was 3 or 4, he'd pretend to play.''
When her son was 13, he saw Tony Rice perform ``and,'' she said, ``he was bitten by his style and finesse - by Tony in general.''
``They met later. In 1994, they got to know each other. Rickie Simpkins had his own band and was playing at Cajo's in Powhatan County,'' Glenna said. ``He'd always have special guests. A guy who heard Mo play got him up there.''
That led to a meeting with Rice who is described by The Feedlot, a journal of country music, as ``the best guitarist in bluegrass today.''
Rice asked Mo how long he'd been playing guitar.
``A year,'' said the teenager, who had been a mandolinist.
``DDDaaammn,'' was Rice's reply.
The meeting resulted in an invite to play with Rice at the Prism, a Charlottesville coffeehouse.
Rice is not the only one to recognize Mo's talent.
In 1993, he won a first-place trophy as Junior Entertainer State Champion during competition in Chase City, sponsored by the Virginia Folk Music Association.
Also that year, he won first place in adult competition at the prestigious Darden Family Old-Time Music Festival in Mapleton, N.C.
All that - and no lessons.
``I picked up the fingering myself,'' said Mo who, when not performing, is very quiet and shy. `I listen to all kinds of music, but it's more fun playing grass than listening to it. I like the applause.'' MEMO: Copies of ``Stoney Lonesome'' are available at Parker Drug Co. in
Franklin. The cost is $15 for the CD, $10 for the cassette.
They are also available, postage free, by mail. Send a check or money
order to Glenna Canada, 20648 River Road, Courtland, Va. 23837.
For information, call 653-2233.
AT A GLANCE
What: Mo Canada, with Lonesome River Band, and Rickey Simpkins,
dinner concert.
When: Dinner at 6 p.m., Jan. 27.
Where: Southampton Academy, Courtland.
Tickets: $15, Fred's Restaurant and Parker Drug Co. in Franklin, Isle
of Wight Instruments in Smithfield, at the school or by calling
653-2233. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Bluegrass musician Tony Rice, left, helped Mo Canada, right, arrange
some of the music on his new release, ``Stoney Lonesome.''
by CNB